City of Yuhua Stone
by lixiaofossil
Summary: Inspired by a famous military novel of Second Sino-Japanese War, for memorial of 77th anniversary of Nanking Massacre.
1. Movement One

**Movement One**

* * *

Dawn break, December 13th 1937, Nanking.

Days of bloody confrontations beyond any human languages' describing capacities, finally the defense around capital of Republic of China collapsed, Chinese National Revolutionary Army is in status of chaos and is evacuating with disorder. Many of them are stranded in this metropolis constructed on Yangtze River's bank, as invading Imperial Japanese Army is swarming into city walls from almost every direction.

Makoto Ito is among those "many". He volunteered himself to fight for Republic of China ever since Manchurian Incident. He was once a building engineer in Japan, "building better worlds through building better houses", before fascism rose in power. After all efforts he had done to rescue his fatherland from being taken over by fascism failed, he discarded his Japanese nationality and defected to China, joined Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army as a translator and special agent of infiltration and sabotage, from his perspective, this would be the only way to seek redemption for his fatherland which had already been consumed by pure evil. But soon Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was suffering severe losses under fierce offensive of occupying Imperial Japanese Kwantung Army and was forced to evacuate to USSR territory. Refusing to leave the battlefield, Makoto managed to run inside Great Wall, survived a difficult journey to outskirt of Nanking, to join Chinese National Revolutionary Army led by Kuomintang. There are a few people from international society, American, British, Canadian, Czechish, French, Germany, Soviet, Spanish…and of course Japanese, who are in strong opposition against fascism and are supporting China's rightful self-defense against invading Empire of Japan, they formed a special, company-sized unit inside Chinese National Revolutionary Army, fight alongside Chinese soldiers. All of them but Makoto perished during last night's bloodshed along with thousands of brave Chinese, it was mere luck that he survived another day, and his luck seems have run out.

Makoto is wandering alone in this unfamiliar city, with his Type 24 Rifle, Mauser M1932 Select-Fire Automatic Pistol and a few grenades. If he has to fight in forests, he'd rather be active in a forest of woods instead in a forest of reinforced concrete. What should he do now? The unit had been lost, allied units are dispersed or being dispersed. Maybe searching some survivors and evacuate to northern bank of Yangtze River is the best choice, before the city is complete overrun by those mindless, flesh-devouring zombies brain-washed by fascism.

Suddenly something attracted Makoto's attention, something almost makes him bursts into tears.

A Flag of Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth, is flying above skyline, even enemies are running loose everywhere, it is still declaring its own existence with pride.

Makoto runs toward to the flag's position, although linear distance is not very long, but the maze of city streets really takes him awhile.

Makoto arrives at frontal gate of a three-story building, where the flag is raised atop of this structure. There has already been a dozen of Chinese National Revolutionary Army soldiers, they ask Makoto's name, rank and unit designations.

Makoto gives them answers, then he is greeted by a muscular Chinese sergeant: "Welcome. Sorry to hear you lost your company, and glad to know there are still a few Japanese have senses of justice. We're Teaching Corps, and we set up this flag to summon anyone who still has the will to defend the capital." As he speaks, Makoto notices the sergeant's waist is entangled by a white strip with a large reddened section on it, however he seems sustain no injuries.

Knowing Makoto's doubt, sergeant unties the strip, it turns out to be a Nisshouki (Flag of Japan or Sun-Mark Flag), but the red Hinomaru (Circle of the Sun) is overlapped by a big tilted cross of black ink.

"We flanked and eliminated a contingent of Japs last night on Purple Mountain, seized some weapons and other materials, including this flag. We'll make it for some good uses later." Muscular sergeant explains, the looks his watch: "It's time, let's move out."

Makoto: "To where?"

"This building is a temporary rally point. We raise our flag here, Japs will see it too, soon they will launch a ground assault, or even worse, bombard by artilleries. So we set our base of operation elsewhere." The sergeant lowers the Flag of Blue Sky, White Sun, and a Wholly Red Earth.

Mixed into a dozen of solders, Makoto is lead into narrow alleys. He concentrates on ears, picking up any slightest disturbances from surrounding, gunshots, but not only Japanese Type 38 Rifles, there are also Chinese Type 24 Rifles' firing.

"So many brave Chinese soldiers are fighting in the city!" Makoto is moved: "This is a grand nation that will never succumb to oppression!"

"Quickly! Quietly! Weapons hot!" Sergeant urges.

Makoto raises his rifle and releases safety as others do.

On their way of tactical shift, there are incalculable weapons and ammunitions abandoned on ground. Sergeant orders them to accumulate as many as possible, especially grenades.

Several soldiers pick up grenades and amass them into metal buckets they found earlier.

They cross a residence block, ready to enter another one. Between the blocks there is a road several times wider than alleys, and is jammed by stuffs dropped by evacuating armies and civilians, like wooden crates, baggages, rickshaws, automobiles…

A few minutes later, troops reach the depth of the block on the opposite side of the road, buildings here sustained severer damages than those in previous block, many of them which used to be multi-story, now only one story left.

The sergeant, runs forward several steps, and calls in low volume: "Major! Major!"

Six Chinese in military uniform reveal themselves on a two-story building which is relatively intact than others. One of them, an officer who is strong as a bear, waves to arriving squad: "Get in quickly!"

"We found a dozen more of combatants, even one from International Company!" In the building designated as the makeshift base of operation, the sergeant points Makoto to the major.

"You're the only one? Where are the others?" Major asks. Makoto lowers head and slightly shakes.

"Sorry about that." Major looks away: "Anyone who knows how to manipulate explosives?"

Makoto heads up and raises hand: "I used to blow up Japanese military assets in northeast."

"Good, come with me." Major hints Makoto to follow him. "And you two, bring grenades you collected here!" He orders two other soldiers.


	2. Movement Two

**Movement Two**

* * *

Makoto is led to an inner room, where an enormous quantity of dynamite packages and grenade bundles are being rigged. However the most impressive phenomena is the one who is doing all the works, is actually a girl, girls in military uniform is already an extreme rare scenery, not to say this one is working on those deadly stuff with high efficiency.

"Major." The girl pauses her work, stands up and salutes.

Major salutes back: "Corporal, I found you an assistant." He introduces Makoto and the girl to each other: "Corporal Makoto Ito from International Company, and this is our demolition specialist, Corporal Kotonoha Katsura. She was once a volunteered medical teacher from Japan, but discarded former nationality and enlisted herself to army as a demolisher after Manchurian Incident for she insists this is the only way to seek redemption for her fatherland. Her skills of using explosives are second to none."

The female demolition specialist with the name Kotonoha Katsura, shakes hand with Makoto, with a friendly smile.

"Even girls are pushed into war, what Japanese had done?!" Makoto is cursing internally.

"Tell him what to do, safely and quickly. We don't have an entire day." Major leaves an order.

One hour later, the contingent of Chinese National Revolutionary Army leaves their base of operation and advances to pre-selected ambush position, ready to kick Japs' asses in a solid way. They also left a nasty surprise behind for any Japanese visitors. Makoto looks back, the captured Nisshouki is being exposed on the long pole atop the two-story building, as if a thief got apprehended in public and is being put on a humiliating parade. Sergeant explained as: "This is a very conspicuous position to surrounding areas, when Japs saw their flag is being treated like this, they will be lured in like following a Pied Piper. We rigged the building full with explosives, they get in and touch the flag — ka-boom!"

Soon, they arrive at a wide road, wider than those run through resident blocks. This is the theater of ambush. Makoto and Kotonoha install improvised explosive devices, rigged from dynamites and grenades by them, into cars parked on roadsides and beneath manholes covers, with helps of others. Then they hide themselves on roofs of buildings like remaining soldiers, overlooking the road. The battle plan is waiting for Japanese convoy to enter the ambush ring, when the head of the convoy almost exits the road, explosives will be triggered, then all soldiers fire at will to anyone who's not killed by explosion, after one wave of firing, all personnel withdraw to the secondary foothold to continue the fight.

But another hours have passed, no Japs coming. Some soldiers begin to suspect if their plan will work. The major assures them, saying this road connects to city center, some Japs will definitely go this way.

Suddenly the sergeant hints Makoto: "Look there!" Makoto looks to the direction where sergeant points, he sees a white flag with a large red dot on center and a big black, tilted cross overlap on it, is being blown by wind over the two-story building afar, which had been converted into an over-sized powder keg. The flag shakes violently, and falls down, then immediately the building is blasted sky-high.

"Guess Japs got our message: No one visits Nanking without paying for ticket." Sergeant grins to expose teeth. Makoto gives him a thumb-up.

Time ticks, it's almost noon now, but still no joy of approaching Japs.

Finally a figure in cyan (color of Chinese National Revolutionary Army's uniform) runs along the road: "They're coming! A lot of them! Two tanks, four trucks full of infantries, and hundreds on foot!"

"Game time. Remember, do not tangle in battle for too long, run after first wave of firing!" Major passes down order again throughout command chain.

Japanese troops in muddy-colored uniforms appear at the end of the road. Six infantries as pioneer points, each of them are holding a Type 38 Rifle, behind them are two dowdy "Japanese tiny tanks" in a single file, then four trucks of infantries, followed by hundreds of their kind.

The Japanese infantries who don't have a ride are marching in two columns, along both sides of the road. They hold guns high, but obviously showing signs of exhaustion, some weaker individuals even have troubles to walk steady.

"They're not that tough as they think of themselves." Makoto concludes internally: "Days of cruel battle had squeezed them dry."

The hatch atop the first Japanese tank is opened, one of its crew extends upper half of his body out, he seems is happy about something.

"If you can survive the bombing, I'll take you as my first dish on today's menu." Makoto chooses him as first target.

Japanese formation moves forward on the road, like a swarm of lemmings. Soon the six pioneer points gets close to the other end of road.

Then those cars lying lifelessly on both sides of the road, inflate and burst as explosives planted inside them are detonated. The doors are detached from bodywork, like many flat-shaped cannon shells, sweep through the road, crushing anything in their paths. Glasses for windows, as well as metal skins, are torn into sharp pieces of high velocity, forming a storm of tiny darts.

At the same blink, road surface also erupts like multiple small volcanoes, use manhole covers as centers, asphalt layers are pulverized and are tossed to every direction by explosions.

Japs indeed got their asses kicked in a solid way. Although they're well trained, but not trained to deal with Kotonoha and Makoto's IEDs. Half of infantries are reduced to fragmentary minces mixed with glass and metal shards in an instant. Those vehicles' fates are not any better, they're literally overturned and crushed from multiple sides, decimating everyone on board.

Still many Japs survived the blasts, Makoto quickly fires all five bullets from his rifle, achieving five good kills. Meanwhile other Chinese National Revolutionary Army soldiers are bringing down their own preys.

Just as he inserts another stripper clip, someone grabs him and drags him backward.

It is the sergeant: "Withdraw! Withdraw! Quickly!" Makoto packs up his gun, runs to the backside of the building he is hiding, jumps down from edge, following others.


	3. Movement Three

**Movement Three**

* * *

After withdrawing from the ambush position, they shift to a fortified, large-sized hotel, continuing to fight against Japs.

Japs made multiple attempts to breach the perimeter of the hotel, but only got beaten back again and again, leaving nothing but dead bodies.

However soldiers of Chinese National Revolutionary Army know this place won't hold forever. So when night falls, they break through enemy encirclement separately.

Makoto's detachment encounters a platoon of Japanese patrol during the process, after a brief exchange of fire, he finds only Kotonoha is with him.

"Enemy had taken control of all major traffic lines, we must stay away from those places as far as possible." Kotonoha suggests Makoto to follow her: "I lived in this city for years, I'm familiar with it."

They hide in basement of an abandoned, forgettable civilian building for resting up and planning next move.

Under dim light from a flashlight, Kotonoha deploys a map of Nanking, pointing at several positions: "These are city gates, but all seized by enemies, the only way out is here." She points at a particular sector.

"It's only city wall there." Makoto says.

"Accident tunnels beneath that section of wall, centuries years old." Kotonoha elaborates: "It's not a short journey, we'll have to sneak through under cover of night."

Since today's actions had alerted invading Imperial Japanese Army, the two decide to stay low for following two days. At night of December 16th, they move out.

After two nights of "night shift", they successfully sneak to the root of city wall, where the tunnels are, at night of December 17th.

Unfortunately, even they sneak out of city, but after walking along the bank of Yangtze River for entire night, no boats are found, which means they're still stranded.

Dawn break is coming, Kotonoha suggests they move back into tunnels to hide, wait for the next night. Makoto agrees.

When night falls again, they leave tunnels to try their luck for second time. They expanded range of searching, hoping to find a boat to cross river.

According to Chinese Lunar Calendar, it is November 16th, second day of full moon. However weather is a bit cloudy, the bright moonshine is obstructed by clouds from time to time.

The two walk quickly and quietly along river bank, but Makoto feels something strange: Why the ground is soft and…fleshy?

Suddenly as if seeing a Xenomorph, Kotonoha jumps back.

"What?" Makoto asks.

Kotonoha answers with a quivery tone: "The ground…"

At this blink, the moon breaks free from clouds. Under bright moonshine, Makoto can see clearly: They are actually walking on an endless creep, a creep of dead human flesh.

Makoto had seen too many dead bodies, but this is the first time he watches so many dead bodies accumulated together. Most of bodies are Chinese civilians, also many disarmed soldiers, thousands in number. Makoto and Kotonoha also find out each of them had their hands and arms tied up, and tied up on same ropes. Obviously those people were captured by Japs first, then tied up and brutally slaughtered by Japs. Japs finished mass slaughters at upstream, dropped dead bodies in Yangtze River, since water flow is relatively slow here, so bodies are washed ashore and becoming more and more.

Shocked to bones, Makoto and Kotonoha stand speechlessly in darkness. Then Kotonoha suggests they should move on to find another place of crossing river.

They continue to proceed, until bright-white searchlights installed on watch towers emerge out from horizon.

"Japanese garrison." Kotonoha speaks to Makoto in low volume. Makoto agrees: "A large one."

"This way." Kotonoha leads Makoto away from river bank to a small-sized mountain range: "This is Mufu Mountain, and judging from relative positions, the garrison should be in or near Caoxie Gorge. We take mountain roads, it will be safer."

Move along dark and bumpy mountain road, the Japanese garrison is on their left. Although cannot see, Makoto still can hear many people are crying, shouting, and are being whipped. Finally they reach the top of a small hill, crawl through dense vegetation, they find a good spot to observe what's going on.

From foot of Mufu Mountain to bank of Yangtze River, is the narrow and long Caoxie Gorge, which is brightly lit by searchlights set up by Imperial Japanese Army. Under eye-blinding light is dense mass of people, at least ten thousand in number.

Using binoculars, Makoto and Kotonoha recognize the mass of people are mostly comprised by Chinese civilians, also many soldiers who apparently are captured by Japanese. Those people's hands are tied behind their backs, and one by one, they're tied in rows.

Hundreds of soldiers of Imperial Japanese Army are whipping Chinese they captured to center, in order to make the mass even denser, with bayonet-attached Type 38 Rifles. A Japanese officer, who is short and muscular like a walrus, seems is commanding the operation. He stands on a high ground, accompanied by a huge shepherd dog.

Suddenly the Japanese officer raises an arm and says something to another Japanese officer who looks like an adjutant. Japanese soldiers who are whipping Chinese speed up their works, lines of Type 92 Heavy Machineguns and Type 11 Light Machineguns appear on south of the mass, surrounding them like a semicircle.

Turmoil in the mass of captured Chinese people, they know what is going to happen. Makoto and Kotonoha also know.

They watch as that Japanese officer draws out his nihonto (Japanese blade) from scabbard and cleaves forward.

In the twinkling of an eye, all machineguns open fire, flames on muzzles, look like scythes of crimson, cutting down tied up, defenseless Chinese like harvesting in wheat field.

Under hail stone of bullets, those Chinese are struggling in futile. The bullets impact into human bodies, kinetic energy pushes them upward, then collapse. Watching from afar, they are like bloody waves of flesh, up and down, up and down...

Makoto feels something in his head breaks, he puts up his rifle, aim on the Japanese officer who is conducting this massive murder. But a few seconds later, he puts rifle down in dismay — the target is about two kilometers from here, way exceeding effective range of a regular rifle ("real" anti-personnel and anti-material sniper rifles don't appear until many years after World War Two), even if his rifle has enough range, it's no guarantee for achieving a good kill on a target that far without a sniper scope.

Makoto can do nothing but staring the living hell unfolding in front of him, his eyes are spraying flames of rage and hatred. Kotonoha drags him away as if dragging a lifeless puppet.

After they go down the backside of hill, Makoto crouches down and curls up, trembling like having malaria. He feels a current of fire, fire consisted by freezing cold substance, burning up from gaps between bones, rushing into his head…

He stands up with a rush and walks to the direction of Nanking City.

Kotonoha pulls him: "Where are you going?"

"Execute him!" Makoto is squeezing words from lungs.

Kotonoha doesn't let him go: "Entire city had been overrun! This is suicide!"

Suddenly Makoto breaks down and cries out aloud, Kotonoha covers his mouth to avoid exposing themselves. Still, she can recognize what Makoto is crying: "I saw them…I saw them kill people…in northeast…villages…entire villages after entire villages…men…women…children…infants…murdered by them…murdered by them…murdered by them…" His voice gradually fades down, but still trembles violently. Kotonoha hugs him hard, fondles his hair to calm him down.

A moment later, Makoto seems have calmed down, he silently checks remaining ammunition he has.

Kotonoha: "Are you determined?"

Makoto answers with steadfastness: "This is not only personal, but also national!"

Kotonoha: "I'll go with you. You need an assistant."

Makoto gives her a hug of gratitude, then they set out.


	4. Movement Four

**Movement Four**

* * *

Now a problem of reality arises: How to find the target again?

Makoto and Kotonoha return to the place where they used to witness the onslaught.

Japs are piling up dead bodies, burning them by dousing and igniting gasoline.

Enduring suffocating smell of charred flesh, Makoto and Kotonoha wait.

Finally those Japs fall in into formation of columns at time of dawn break, head back to Nanking City.

Using thick morning fog as covers, the two follow them unnoticeably.

Minutes later, the chance comes. The Jap who is walking on the rear-most position, leaves formation without informing others. He enters thick growth of long-grass and vomits. Apparently the previous mass murder and body burning had too many negative effects to him both physically and psychologically.

Makoto and Kotonoha look at each other, nod to each other. Then Makoto sneaks to that Jap, Kotonoha takes out her M1911 Pistol for just in case.

The Jap is still vomiting. Makoto leaps to him from rear, chokes him to disable his ability of calling for help, and twists off his cervical vertebra to disable his ability of being alive.

Taking the dead Jap's backpack and two grenades on combat harness, Makoto and Kotonoha run away, into depth of the curtain casted by morning fog.

They find a secluded patch of frondent reed to settle down, begin to check content of backpack. Miscellaneous categories of items, most of them are useless, except some packed biscuits and sugar cubes. However a notebook gives them a little hope, the text on front cover indicates that Jap is a Private First Class of 33rd Company, 16th Division of Imperial Japanese Army (this division is among those primary crime culprits of Nanking Massacre, they killed tens of thousands Chinese civilians and soldiers who had already been disarmed).

Now they acknowledge which unit the Japanese officer they're after belongs to. The next objective is to find where this unit's base or headquarter is.

By the time of sunrise, Makoto and Kotonoha re-enter Nanking via the tunnel they used to evacuate. Just as they leave the tunnel, a thick stink of decaying flesh almost knock them out in an instant.

Makoto deduces the smell is originated from a gate tower not very far from here, Kotonoha tells him that's the direction to Yijiang Gate. Hearing someone's desperate screams coming from there, Makoto decides to run a recon.

They manage to slip into rubble of a civilian building, which sustained heavy damage by Japanese aircraft's bombardment days ago. Climb to second floor, they're in a room with four windows. Carefully Makoto look out from the window to Yijiang Gate's tower via binocular, while Kotonoha is guarding the perimeter.

The roads run near of the gate are covered by a creep of corpses, corpses of slaughtered Chinese civilians and soldiers, Japanese military vehicles drive above this layer of flesh, internal organs are being squeezed out, spraying to roadsides…the smell of decaying is undoubtedly generated by this "human flesh creep".

As for the gate itself, Japs had made it into an observation post. Aside of the Nisshouki, a Japanese officer is standing on gate tower with an orderly, wiping his nihonto with a handkerchief. Under his feet are nine heads just got cut off, arranged in a row.

Makoto knows the screams he heard earlier are from one of the heads, when that Japanese officer is decapitating a Chinese he captured.

Immediately, Makoto raises rifle, taking aim. Normally, to achieve a good kill, head and chest are prioritized sectors of aiming, but this time Makoto aims at one of the thighs.

Pulls trigger, the Japanese officer's thighbone is amputated. He loses balance, falls to road below. His orderly acts fast, grabs his superior's belt.

Makoto fires again, breaks that Japanese orderly's heart. Both officer and orderly fall onto the creep of corpses.

At this time, a Japanese truck is driving along the road, rolling over incalculable dead bodies. Makoto takes the third shoot, penetrates windshield, enabling the Japanese driver's brain mass to be sprayed over cockpit.

The Japanese officer is still not dead, he tries to pull himself out from piles of bodies, as if he is being dragged into inferno by the angry souls of Chinese victims. But that's not necessary anymore, for the truck with headless driver precisely runs over him.

Kotonoha pats on Makoto's back: "Run! Enemies are coming!" They jump down from second floor, six Japs are in pursuit, bullets fired from Type 38 Rifles miss them only by centimeters.

Kotonoha pushes Makoto forward: "Go, I'll catch up soon." She turns around and readies her primary weapon — a MP18I Submachinegun. She fires accurately in short, controlled bursts, eradicates Japs in very short order.

Makoto runs through alleys, but he runs into a muscular Japanese sergeant when turning around a corner. That Japanese sergeant was alerted by gunshots, and took a detour through alleys to intercept the unknown gunner. Don't know if he's lucky or unlucky, he encounters the gunner when turning around a corner — Makoto.

Both of them drop their rifles thanks to the unexpected collision, no time to draw sidearms, the two are tangled into a hand-to-hand fighting.

Japanese sergeant is muscular and well-trained, while Makoto is not designed for such job. In seconds, Japanese sergeant gains upper hand, choking Makoto to suffocation.

Makoto is not nervous, he grabs his rifle and pulls trigger, not to the one who is choking him, but to alley wall.

The slug impacts on a brick, bounces off to another brick, then bounces to Japanese sergeant's head's backside. Since hit solid objects, the shape of the slug has changed, when drilling into occipital bone, it functions like a high-speed blender, mashes his brain into a bowl of Japanese-style bean curd jelly.

Kicking off dead Jap from him, Makoto stands up, only finds another two Japs coming to his way. He pulls out M1932 Select-Fire Automatic Pistol, empties twenty rounds in magazine to them.

Kotonoha arrives, leads Makoto into another alley. A live-action Pac-Man game decades before creation of Pac-Man. They bypass dozens, if not hundreds Japanese soldiers who are looting in the city, encounter dozens, if not hundreds scenes of slaughter of different scales, moving to western districts of Nanking.


	5. Movement Five

**Movement Five**

* * *

Western districts of Nanking are less populated than other sectors, which will be easier to hide. Inside an abandoned vegetable farm's storage room, located in western Nanking. Makoto and Kotonoha discuss next move, they unanimously decide to capture a Jap alive for interrogation.

Easy to say, hard to do. They do capture some Japs alive during following days, via a diversity of methods, but those Japs give no useful information, a few of them don't speak at all, others speak but don't know where the base or headquarter of 33rd Company, 16th Division is.

Makoto finishes these Japs by bayonet, dumps bodies in a septic tank.

The favorable turn of situation arrives when they go out to hunt for Japs again. They reach vicinity of Shuixi Gate at night. The Nanking City is burning under dome of night sky, corpses of slaughtered Chinese can be seen anywhere. Those wild dogs wandering among streets have gotten much fatter than before by devouring corpses.

Suddenly they hear screams of women, they run to the source of screams.

The two arrive at back wall of a yard, where the screams come from. Screams cease abruptly, then footsteps of multiple pairs of leather boots leaving from front gate. It's definitely some Japs were committing rapes inside.

Without any hesitation, Makoto and Kotonoha climb over the wall to enter the yard.

What they see is four corpses of Chinese women, all stripped bare and mutilated. One got her breasts cut off, another one got her chest cut wide open…one of them, who is obviously pregnant, got her belly pried open, among the mangled bloody flesh, an unshaped fetus is still twitching…

Makoto and Kotonoha burst out from front gate of yard, weapons ready. They'll punish those Japs if god won't.

They catch up from behind, those Japs are chatting with laughter as if come back from a nightclub. Makoto and Kotonoha fire M1932 and MP18I simultaneously, killing them all but a second lieutenant, who acts quicker than others, hides himself behind a large stone lion.

No clear line of fire, but Makoto discovers there's a huge, heavy wooden plaque right hanging above that Jap, by a slim metal chain. He tells Kotonoha to keep laying down suppressing fire, then switches to rifle, fires at that chain.

Chain is broken, wooden plaque falls on Japs head, crushing it into a thickness of about three centimeters.

Makoto runs forward, takes that Japanese second lieutenant's satchel, and runs away with Kotonoha.

Back to their hideout, they open the satchel to run a check.

First off, documents inside satchel show that Jap is a staff officer from 33rd Company, 16th Division.

"Good start." Makoto beams: "What's next?"

There are golden pens and golden pocket watches, must be looted from residences and shops by that Jap.

Kotonoha picks up a pocket watch: "We need this for timekeeping."

Then the most prized trophy — a tactical map of Nanking. Losing no time, they study it carefully, and find a specific position on this map, tagged as "33rd Company" by former owner of the map.

Kotonoha contrasts this map with her map: "If that position is the base or headquarter of 33rd Company, it should be near Xinjekou."

Makoto: "We'll recon that place tomorrow."

The next night, Makoto and Kotonoha dodge countless Japanese patrols and checkpoints, arrive at the position marked on map.

It is a large-sized yard, surrounded by a circle of high and thick walls. Inside the walls there is a large, three-story building.

Kotonoha speaks with low volume: "I think this is the hospital of Teaching Corps."

Makoto hints her to move: "We gotta find a higher ground."

They shift to a half-collapsed warehouse, which is plundered and burnt by Japs. Climb to roof, they take out binoculars.

Now they can see everything inside the walls. Japs really make themselves comfortable. There're searchlights on watch towers, wandering sentries, cars and trucks are packed in rows, along with gasoline barrels…not to say machinegun posts, wire nettings and sandbags.

Then Makoto and Kotonoha find "him". That walrus-shaped Japanese officer who conducted the massive slaughter in Caoxie Gorge. He comes out from three-story building, with his strong-as-bull shepherd dog. Seems they are to have a hiking after dinner.

Makoto raises rifle, testing his aiming, then puts it down in dismay again — still too far away, barely in range. Even target is in range, shooting from such a long distance without a sniper scope won't guarantee a good kill, and if he can't get a good kill with one bullet, two bullets at max, the chance will be lost, probably forever.

A makeshift sketch of enemy HQ's map is deployed. Makoto and Kotonoha are drawing up a plan to destroy primary target after returning to their hideout.

"I can't fire outside the walls." Makoto speaks with shaking his head: "No guarantee of kill. I must got close enough, namely inside walls, but this place is heavily fortified and guarded, no way in, no way out. Even I can manage to get in, there are too many Japs patrolling with searchlights illuminating every corner. I won't be able to find a position to take aim."

"How about here?" Kotonoha points at a sector behind foot of three-story building: "This is a blind zone to all searchlights in the yard. Not very large, but enough for hiding."

"If I can pass the walls." Makoto is not so optimistic.

"I have an idea." Kotonoha is slightly excited about herself. She takes out another map, not city map of Nanking, but a map of sewer system of Nanking.

"Where did you get this stuff?" Makoto's eyes widen.

"I was issued with this map when Major ordered me to rig IEDs for cars and manholes." Kotonoha explains: "There's a sewer line runs right beneath the yard, wide enough for a human. And there is a manhole right inside the blind zone. You can move forth and back by this sewer, and come out from that manhole…"

So during following three days, Makoto and Kotonoha monitor that Japanese officer's movements every night, to ascertain his daily schedules. They find every 8 o'clock p.m., he comes out from the building with his shepherd dog, hike in the yard.

Battle plan is plotted: They approach enemy HQ via sewer. Makoto infiltrates inside walls and comes out from that specific manhole, waits for target to reveal himself. Meanwhile Kotonoha hides in another manhole outside the walls, not far from front gate. After Makoto takes first shot, Kotonoha will create a diversion to distract Japs then moves back to underground, buying time for Makoto to retreat or to take second shoot for just in case. They rendezvous outside a manhole that is far from enemy HQ.

Both of them are feeling energized for the upcoming decisive battle. Kotonoha tells Makoto to sleep well during daylight, saving strength for "night shift".


	6. Movement Six

**Movement Six**

* * *

When time reaches mid-afternoon, Makoto wakes up, Kotonoha is guarding their hideout.

They sit down to replenish themselves, eating biscuit and sugar cubes, drinking water. Then they check weapons and ammunition, make sure all of them will be at optimal conditions.

Kotonoha watches Makoto scratches casings of his rifle bullets' slugs with a steel grater. He elaborates: "I learned this trick during my career in Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army. After treating slugs like this, they will distort and ricochet radically after impaling into human body, inflicts even more collateral damages."

Everything is ready, they set out at sunset, moving through freezing cold sewer, the two reach outside of the walls.

Kotonoha stays at her designated position, Makoto goes on. He arrives at the manhole lead to blind zone behind three-story building. He switches off flashlight, concentrates to listen if anyone is out there. When assures it's safe, he quietly removes cover and gets out.

Observing surrounding with utmost caution, Makoto moves again when hearing footsteps of sentries go away. He inches himself forward, slowly and tightly against walls of building.

Finally he finds a suitable position of holding up rifle, clear line of fire, no clear line for searchlights. Prostrates on ground, Makoto readies his rifle.

Time ticks like rusted gears. Feels like have waited for one century, but 8 o'clock is still not reached.

Snowflakes drift down. Thanks to long-time experiences of field operations in northeast, this extent of snowfall is not a problem to Makoto.

His primary target appears, that walrus-like Japanese officer comes out with his shepherd dog. The dog seems fascinated by snowflakes, keeps jumping around his master with barking.

Makoto releases safety, takes aim, pulls trigger.

But the situation takes an unexpected turn. Just at the blink he fires, that dog suddenly jumps upward, blocking his master from Makoto's line of fire, for the dog is strong-as-bull, it's even taller than a man when jumps up.

The bullet severs dog's spine, changes its trajectory, crushes Japanese officer's spealbone, not fatal.

A wounded Japanese officer quickly drags himself behind cars, out of Makoto's line of fire. At same time Kotonoha initiates diversion. Sounds of grenade explosions and submachinegun firing start outside walls, mixed with dying Japs' screams.

The yard is thrown in confusion. Drum-piercing alarm, sentries run like drug-abused, searchlights sweep like crazy.

Several sentries advance to where Makoto is hiding. He switches to M1932, strafe them down. Inserts a new magazine and guns down more sentries who're too close to be ignored, Makoto evaluates situation: Primary target is still hiding behind cars, no clear shot, and he can't toss a grenade that far. Although Kotonoha's diversion is distracting enemies, but won't last long.

How to flush that Jap out?

"Wish I can have an ability of shooting bullets through metal plates…wait…metal plates?" Makoto's mind clicks. He ejects an empty case, chambers another bullet, fires to gasoline barrels.

Gasoline is spreading fast from holes on containers, opened by Makoto, forming a wide pool of flammable liquid.

Makoto ejects another empty case, chambers the third bullet. This time he fires at metal bumper of the car where the Japanese officer is right hiding behind. Impact of the slug produces sparks, ignites gasoline pool, flaming gasoline ignites Japanese officer's coat. Screaming his lungs out, the Jap runs out from cover, completely exposed under Makoto's muzzle.

The forth bullet, tears Japanese officer's chest wide open, pulverizes his heart, like a Xenomorph Chestburster erupting from inside of him. Immediately fifth bullet arrives, the direct consequence of this shot is enabling Japanese officer's head explodes like an over-sized tomato dropped ten stories onto pavement, blood, bone, hair and brain matter fling to anywhere.

"Eat this, Jap face!" Makoto packs up weapons, disappears behind backside of three-story building.

He rendezvous with Kotonoha as planned, then the two leave Nanking before dawn break, and walk along Yangtze River's bank for another day, finally find a boat capable of transport them cross the river.

Makoto and Kotonoha are standing on north bank of Yangtze River, paying eye salutes to Nanking, which is still burning on the opposite bank. It will be after a long duration of time when they see that city again.

"What should we do now?" Kotonoha asks.

"To Yan'an. There're still active, organized resistances, led by Chinese Communist Party. Our last hope." Makoto answers.

They turn around and start a new difficult journey. Kotonoha: "It is an honor fighting with you."

Makoto: "The honor is mine."

Later, they arrive at Yan'an and join Eighth Route Army led by Communist Party, continue to contribute efforts for World Anti-Fascist Alliance, alongside incalculable brave Chinese soldiers, until September 9th 1945, entire invading Imperial Japanese Army surrender to Chiang Kai-shek, leader of the Republic of China. After that, both of them return to Japan in order to assist reconstruction of this nation that almost got incinerated to nothingness by mighty USAF. Makoto picks up his old occupation of building engineer, while Kotonoha resumes being a doctor, but it will be another story.


	7. Movement Extra: Bag 'n' Tag

**Movement Extra: Bag 'n' Tag**

* * *

Dawn break, September 28th 1935, Somewhere in Northeast China.

More than a dozen of Imperial Japanese Kwantung Army soldiers, led by an officer, are moving slowly among trees of deep forest, with a fanned-out formation. Obviously they're searching for something, or someone, and what or who they're searching is extremely dangerous.

* * *

Nine hours ago, night of September 27th 1935.

There's an abandoned village, consisted by several houses. Now they're occupied by Japs and are converted into a makeshift barracks.

No blackout, all houses are radiating light from windows, especially the peripheral-most one, even can hear chatting in Japanese language from inside. Apparently the occupants don't think someone will come and crash their party.

But there is someone who gonna to crash Japs' party, and reaps some Jap heads for convenience.

Twenty meters from the house's frontal side, behind a giant tree, the silent hunter readies his rifle, waiting for the perfect time to strike. Makoto Ito has done this for hundreds of times. Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army was suffering severe losses under fierce offensive of occupying Imperial Japanese Kwantung Army, many units were destroyed, many units were lack of adequate supplies and were on the verge of disband, others were retreating to USSR territory for survival and for future counter-attack. Makoto's unit also got order to retreat, but he refused to leave China with his companions, instead, he decided to go south, into Great Wall, to join Chinese National Revolutionary Army led by Kuomintang. Companions from same unit gave all ammunition and other portable materials they can spare to Makoto before bidding farewell, then he set out on his personal long march.

During the journey, Makoto wreaks havocs to Japanese military assets via any means available, even manages to blow up two armored trains, destroying all cargoes and crews onboard. No hesitation, no remorse, Makoto knows well that he is executing sinners bred by fascism, even decades after the war's conclusion, when he is being interviewed, he still states the same and feels proud of it.

The lone wolf finds another chance to function as executioner of justice. The frontal door of the house opens, light from inside illuminates silhouette of a Jap. Makoto fires in a split second, opens two bloody bullet holes on target's head, one is on front the other is on back.

"What's going on?!" Shouting Japanese, two more Japs appear at the door. Makoto takes second shot, the slug impales into one's head, drills its way out, still carrying sufficient kinetic energy to dig into the other one's skull.

"One slug two kills! Triple scoring!" Makoto is pleased by this tiny victory, as more Japs are swarming to the door from inside of the house. He tosses a grenade, take all of them out with one blast.

Entire barracks is alerted, dozens of Japs are running around like startled rats, but Makoto had long since disappeared into shroud of darkness. So long, suckers!

* * *

That's the reason Japs organize a search-and-destroy party going after Makoto, but they never know they're actually so close to him. It will be much easier to capture Makoto if they have dogs, well, they do bring two German Shepherd Dogs to sniff him out, but just minutes ago, both dogs fell into Makoto's dog-trap and died. Unwilling to admit their failure, Japs force themselves to continue the search by relying on human senses, and they're right proceeding to another death trap.

"Hey guys! I found something!" Shouts one Jap, others quickly gather to him.

A Japanese Type 38 Rifle, imbued with blood, is lying motionlessly on thick layer of growth.

"Must be one of our companions' gun…" The Jap who first detects the rifle steps forward to pick it up. But the officer suddenly realizes something and shouts in fear: "No! No! Don't touch it!"

Too late, as the discarded weapon is picked up, a series of carefully-hidden grenades, with their plugs connected altogether with an extremely thin wire, are triggered. Subsequently, matters that used to constitute all Japs presented in scene, except the officer who takes cover at the last second, are sprayed all over the place. Suckers!

Panicked to see his team is reduced to only him in seconds, the Japanese officer runs back to barracks. When he passes a huge pile of dead leaves, suddenly a human-shaped monster bursts out from inside of it, clamps down the officer and drags him into the pile, as if a ghost from underworld captures a human victim and sinks back to underworld with the catch.

Everything goes silent, as if the curtain of previous skirmish falls.

Fifteen minutes later, the "monster" comes out from dead leaves pile again, dragging the corpse of the Jap officer, who got his throat slashed by bayonet, to a more secluded place. Now it is revealed this monster is none other than Makoto, with makeshift camouflage. Many members of Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army used to be hunters, Makoto learned many techniques from them during his years of career, including making personal camouflage, setting traps, night vision without night vision equipment…these skills are once for hunting animals, however also useful for hunting Japs.

Finding a place he thinks is satisfying hidden, Makoto begins to check his prey.

First off, weapons and ammunition. Stripper clips for Type 38 Rifle, Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army heavily relies on Type 38 Rifles seized from dead Japs' fingers, so Makoto takes them all and stuff them in his pouch. He didn't take that Japanese officer's pistol since it's a piece of trash comparing with his own mighty M1932 Select-Fire Automatic Pistol. Makoto also ignore the officer's Tachi (a category of Japanese blade), since he has some knowledge of recognizing fine blades, he figures out comparing with those exquisitely-forged Tachi which can be placed in museums, this one is only a piece of crude work; and more importantly, carrying a blade this big will degrade his mobility. Then grenades, Makoto undoubtedly takes all of them, for grenade is always a weapon of "low investment and high margin", not only valuable for destroying human, vehicles and structures, also good at making booby traps.

Finishing sorting weapons and ammunition, Makoto proceeds to check other replenishment. Cigarettes, no. Superior people never smokes, and smell of tobacco will expose one's position easily. Lighter, good. Can be used to start fire, better than matches. Compressed biscuits, great! One piece of them guarantees entire day's carbohydrate. Sugar cubes, excellent! More portable and contains a lot of energies.

The last group of objects Makoto finds from the dead Jap, are some files, a diary book and a family photo. In the photo there are the officer, his wife, son and daughter. "I don't think your wife and children will receive any death benefits generated by your demise, from the fascist government."

Packing the photo in his pocket, Makoto buries corpse beneath grasses and leaves, then set out again.

* * *

Moving through trees, Makoto feels exhaustion catches up with him: "Gotta find a good place for resting up…how 'bout that cave just ahead?"

But he immediately stops a few meters to the cave's entrance, with high alert. For he finds trails of blood on ground, extending to the cave's internal.

Weapons ready, Makoto enters the cave and finds a little girl, approximately six-years-old, and a woman who obviously is her mother, with a severe wound on abdomen.

"Mom! Mom!" The little girl is crying, while the woman is on her last breath. Makoto walks up to check her wound and immediately realizes there's nothing he can do since it's too severe to be stabilized, unless in a well-equipped hospital with well-trained medical staff.

"Please…I'm begging you…take care my daughter…" This is the last words from the mother before she dies.

"MOM!" The girl throws herself on her mother's body and cries out aloud. Makoto lowers head for a silent mourning.

After entombing the mother, Makoto leads the girl away, into depth of forest, for he knows Japs' reinforcement may get attracted by blood trails.

Meanwhile, a platoon of Imperial Japanese Kwantung Army, led by a captain, is investigating the location where is fully sprayed with matters used to be more than a dozen of Japs. The captain, suppressing his rage, speaks to his adjutant: "Tell others go back to barracks, leave me two snipers."

Sunset, Makoto and the little girl reaches vicinity of an unnamed, abandoned village, after confirming no one is inside, they enters to finds a place for spending the night.

Makoto feels out of juice immediately after sitting down inside a damaged, yet relatively intact house. However he still sets up a small bonfire and distributes food to the girl. He quickly falls asleep, after telling her to stay close also to be on guard and wakes him up if anything extraordinary arises.

Next morning, Makoto wakes up with a rush. Girl is nowhere to be found. "I told you to stay close!" He grabs weapons and runs outward like a cheetah.

He finds her, or more precisely, finds her being tied to a tree with a grenade, outside village's entrance. Knowing she is taken hostage by Japs and is set as the bait of a trap, Makoto immediately hides behind a stone wall.

The Japanese captain and two snipers, all equipped with scope-attached Type 38 Rifles, are positioned behind different stone walls, suppressing Makoto's movement from three angles. Now Makoto is really in a dilemma, it's unlikely to kill three Japs and rescues the girl unscratched on his own.

Japanese captain gestures one of snipers to shift position, flanking Makoto's hideout, then shouts in Chinese: "Come out and surrender yourself! Or this girl will be in jeopardy." It's totally unnecessary since Makoto himself was born in Japan.

Focusing his mind, Makoto evaluates situation, he cannot use grenades since the girl will be caught in blasts, and if he leaves cover to gain a clear line of fire, there's no way to eliminate three Japs before they retaliate. This is a standoff.

Backing up aginst the stone wall, Makoto cudgels his brain for a solution. Suddenly he hears a faint sound of rubbing grasses and immediately understands it is generated by a Jap's movement.

Following the sound's direction, Makoto removes an appropriately-sized stone from the wall with utmost caution, creating a hole for observation. He smiles for watching a Japanese sniper positions himself on top of the wall on the opposite side.

Japanese sniper also detects movements behind the wall where his target is hiding behind. He looks harder via scope, and sees a black muzzle inside a hole on that wall.

A flash on muzzle, Jap's scope explodes, alone with eyeball. Makoto ejects an empty case and chambers second bullet.

"Damn you!" Japanese captain curses and hints the remaining sniper to move. Plan B.

Although still a standoff, but Makoto is gaining advantage…that's what he thinks. Before he finds out what those vicious Japs are up to: They releases the girl from the tree, still tying her hands and tying a grenade with her, forces her to walk to where Makoto is hiding.

There's a wire connects grenade's plug with the tree, when the girl is closest to Makoto, the wire will be extended to limit, plug will be pulled out and grenade will explode, killing Makoto and the girl both.

"Walk! Walk forward!" Japanese captain is shouting malevolently. Sobbing, the girl takes another step.

"Don't come any closer!" Makoto shouts too, but the girl doesn't listen. She sobs: "I'm sorry…I should have stayed close to you…"

The wire is extended to limit, one more step the grenade will be unplugged.

Suddenly the girl screams: "Revenge for me and for my mom!" And leaps forward, pulling out grenade's plug, then in a blink of eye, she turns around and rushes to Japs, intending to end their existence and hers simultaneously.

Japs fire to girl and drop to ground, grenade explodes.

"NO!" Makoto screams in agony and bursts out from backside of wall. Two Japs are still prostrating on ground, he blows the sniper's head wide open by a shot from rifle.

The Japanese captain raises his rifle, expecting to kill Makoto while he is ejecting an empty case, but immediately his right ossa antebrachii is severed by a bullet fired from M1932 Select-Fire Automatic Pistol. In less than one second, another shot from same weapon wrecks his rifle.

Japanese captain is now dead meat, facing a furious Makoto. Makoto advances to him with apparent murderous manner, Jap is quivering in pain and fear.

"Do you have any children?" Makoto suddenly asks, in Japanese.

Japanese captain is shocked to temperately forget his wound's pain: "You are…you are Japanese?!"

"I'm asking you! Do you have any children?" Makoto raises volume.

"I…I have a son…"

"Show me the photo!"

"What?!" Jap is confused.

Makoto fires his pistol, the slug scratches Jap's face, leaving a bleeding wound: "I said show me the photo!"

Slowly and quivering, Jap takes out his family photo. Makoto fires a bullet directly into his heart.

Taking the photo and other things worthy to be taken, Makoto backtracks to the Japanese barracks. He will declare full open season on Japs today.

* * *

A truck full-loaded with Japs stops in front of the barracks. More than twenty of them had been "decommissioned" by a mysterious raider during past two days, so the remaining ones call in reinforcement. They just don't know they will join the likes of dead bodies in short order, and their families won't get paid by fascist government for that.

As Japanese reinforcement jumps down from truck, suddenly a grenade is thrown to them from nowhere, before impact, a precise shot hits it and enables it explodes in midair, creating a bigger blast radius and sprinkles shrapnel down in a wider area.

"We're under attack!" Almost entire truck's Japs are decimated in an instant for their backs and occiputs are assorted with shrapnel like cactus. Other Japs, who're garrisoned in barracks, react fast and retaliate, led by a major, who apparently to be the barracks' commander.

Makoto tosses another grenade and shoots it in midair, creating a hailstone of shrapnel. Japs drops down to avoid being hurt, but meet no avail, there's no way to avoid sprinkling shrapnel if exposed in field.

Japs fire, Makoto prostrates down, hiding in long grasses. One Jap attempts to throw a grenade, but Makoto suddenly jumps up and chops off his forearm by a bullet, the triggered grenade falls in middle of Japs.

"Grenade!" Panicked Japs run to different directions like startled rats, prime chance for Makoto to harvest them. He is completely enchanted into it: Aim, fire, eject empty case, chamber a new bullet; aim, fire, eject empty case, chamber a new bullet…

Setting sun dyes everything into bloody crimson.

Makoto, poising rifle, is walking across the killing ground littered with nonfunctional Japs. Half of the corpses are dead by grenade shrapnel, the other half are shot on head or heart. Makoto always put his prey out of misery by a headshot or a heartshot, because he doesn't want to waste a second bullet and more time.

Suddenly his nerve tenses as his ears capture acoustical signals of a low-volume groan.

One of them is still functional! Makoto points muzzle to source of the signals, finding that Japanese major, which is shot on left chest. But by some chances, the bullet missed his heart for centimeters, impaled his left lung, rendering him alive but completely dead meat.

Makoto lowers rifle and pulls out bayonet, approaches the Jap's face which is twisted by dread and despair of death.

A slash on throat.


End file.
